Calligraphy
by mmrose9
Summary: "A boss's first impression on any potential allies is his handwriting."


Calligraphy

"So how is it?" Tsuna asked, carefully scanning his teacher for any hint of emotion. As if sensing his gaze, Reborn ducked under his fedora effectively hiding any expression that may have crossed his face.

Upon looking at Tsuna's chicken-scratch handwriting, Reborn had demanded that Tsuna learn calligraphy to improve it as ' _a boss's handwriting is his first impression to any potential allies.'_

Though Tsuna had complained at first, he quickly conceded when Reborn brought out Leon in gun-form.

As Tsuna and his family were staying in Italy for the summer, Nono had suggested that Tsuna get acquainted with some of the other famiglia members. Once Tsuna had made it clear that he wanted Reborn as his internal advisor, many of Reborn's tutoring duties had been temporarily taken over until the school year restarted. Instead, the fedora wearing man was forced to peruse through tedious paperwork, documenting business transactions and the internal state of affairs of the Vongola.

Tsuna thought of it as a unique form of revenge, though his tutor had willingly agreed to the position and all of the work it entailed.

(What he didn't know was that Reborn had already accumulated the piles of documents and files Tsuna would have to read through before taking up the mantle, and it made Reborn's load look like child's play)

Reborn was examining the results for the first time after a week of lessons.

" _Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody,_ " was carefully penned out in a script that almost looked printed. The handwriting was beyond elegant— to the point where it could be on a $5 greeting card. Reborn had to look twice to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

Reborn internally sighed, looking at his student.

And here was where the conundrum that was Sawada Tsunayoshi started.

When Reborn had first arrived, he fully believed his student was a simpleton. And, even now, he knew that his students motives were deceptively straightforward. Tsunayoshi was a man who lived to protect and nurture. There were no ifs or whats about it.

However, despite his transparent motives, his student was something of an enigma.

He could convince the world he was a kind-hearted fool, but Reborn knew that was only the tip of a vast iceberg. His student possessed a deceptively sharp mind that could read even the most taciturn being like a book, grasping their motives, stories, and essence as easy as taking a walk in the park.

Tsunayoshi harbored the potential to be a legendary leader. The only problem was, he needed a push. So…

"Dame-Tsuna, this is so pathetic a second-grader could have done better. I need to talk to your teacher," Reborn replied gruffly. He heard Tsuna sigh in disappointment but didn't really care. Instead, he turned to the teacher who was wearing a rather indignant expression on his face. Reborn turned his head and walked to the hallway with the teacher echoing his footsteps.

When they were both in the hallway, Reborn leaned against the wall, his fedora over his eyes. The salt and pepper haired man began speaking.

"What was that about? Young master Tsunayoshi is a natural at calligraphy. He worked hard all week hoping to get a word of praise, yet you told him that that piece of art was equivalent to a second-grader's scrawl!"

Reborn flashed his eyes, and the calligraphy teacher grew timid once more.

"I mean, there is always room for improvement but…"

Reborn shook his head. "If we told Dame-Tsuna that he is doing well, he won't work quite as hard as he would if we raised the expectations for him."

The teacher looked confused and Reborn sighed wondering how to explain the complex personality of his student. Tsuna needed a push, and that was what Reborn was there for.

"Just don't let on to him how well he is doing," Reborn said, deciding to simplify it for the middle-aged teacher.

"Yes, Reborn," the elderly gentleman sighed and walked back to the room where Tsuna was waiting.

He heard his student's eager voice question the man. "What did he say, Stefano?"

"It needs more work."

"Oh…"

Tsuna sounded so disappointed that Reborn almost felt guilty. _Almost._

The man in the black fedora shook his head— he wondered what Tsuna's handwriting would look like at the end of these lessons.

* * *

Wow! I actually did it!

Hi, I'm Mmrose9, and this is my first story. I've been reading fanfic for years, but I've never had the courage to publish.

Until today.

Nice to meet you everybody. Hopefully this is just the start. (-:

Thank you for reading my story.

Oh, and before I forget: I do not own any of the characters from Katekyo Hitman Reborn! That honor belongs to the lovely Akira Amano.

I'm only taking her world and expanding it to the stretches of my imagination.

Umm, bye!


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